Rawalpindi (TDI):. Nearly sixty (60%) percent of deaths in Pakistan are due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) caused by consumption of unhealthy food like ultra-processed products (UPPs).
These eye-opening facts were shared by experts and speakers at a youth sensitization session organized by Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) at Women’s University Rawalpindi.
They said that the spread of these NCDs has become a major problem in the world, one of the major reasons for this is the consumption of unhealthy food, the first of which is the widespread use of ultra-processed products (UPPs) which contain excessive amounts of sugar, salt and trans-fat.
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The session aimed to involve the youth in the campaign to prevent unhealthy food.
NCDs on Increase
On this occasion while addressing the participants, Technical Advisor PANAH and former Commissioner Income Tax, Abdul Hafeez said that due to the widespread consumption of ultra-processed products (UPPs), more than 41% of adults in Pakistan are overweight or obese, with more than 33 million living with diabetes.
If immediate policy action is not taken, this number will increase to 62 million by 2045, he warned.
He stressed that ultra-processed products loaded with excessive sugar, salt and trans fats are a major problem.
He urged the government to take decisive action, including increasing taxes and introducing front-of-pack warning labels on all products so that people know what they are eating.
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Abdul Hafeez highlighted the purpose of organizing this session and said that Panah has been working since 1984 to protect its countrymen from this epidemic and Panah is developing a youth force consisting of students from all universities of Pakistan.
Its main objective is to develop various best practice suggestions that can be implemented to control non-communicable diseases in the country.
